The Western hero and King of Cowboys, Roy Rogers, released his fourth and final studio album in 1991 titled Tribute, a collection of multi-generational team-ups. Special duet partners included The Kentucky Headhunters, Randy Travis, K.T. Oslin and Restless Heart, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Van Shelton, Kathy Mattea, Lorrie Morgan and The Oak Ridge Boys, Willie Nelson, Dusty Rogers, and Dale Evans. All of their tracks were standouts in their own right, but Rogers’ collaboration with the King of the Hat-Acts Clint Black for “Hold On Partner” was definitely a special one.
RCA naturally picked it as the album’s lead single to follow up on two big successes — his Platinum debut album Killin’ Time and his killer next record Put Yourself in My Shoes. And it lived up to the huge expectation, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Collaboration. It also charted on Billboard at number 42 and became the singer’s final charting single.
Meaning Behind the Song
Contrary to what would’ve been expected of their collaboration to record a cowboy standard (since they were both associated with Western and bear a striking facial resemblance), they went the folk, world, and country route with the help of punk and rockabilly songwriters Larson and Bobby Paine. And it’s everything you need to hear if you’re having a rough time.
“Hold on Partner” opens with an encouraging first verse from Rogers. He sings, “Well you’ve been trying to get ahead / but you’re losing ground / and you’ve been talkin’ ’bout leavin’ town / so hold on partner / good things are comin’ to you.”
For You
Black then goes for another reminder to hold on because tough times don’t last. Tough people do. He tells his partner that he’ll bounce back each time he falls. Rogers takes the next line, singing how it looks like it would feel like you’ve been born to lose, and then Black joins in with a reassurance: “But don’t give up tomorrow just might be your lucky day.”
For the rest of the song, Black and Rogers continue to take turns singing that you can still win, you can make things work, and good things will come to you despite all the challenges of this world. All you need to do is to just hold on.
Take a dose of encouragement from country icons Roy Rogers and Clint Black. Listen to “Hold On Partner” in the video below.
